A Sterling man is in jail after shooting at the driver of a pickup following an early morning vehicle collision last week.
Christopher Allen, 49, told Alaska State Troopers he shot at a black Chevy Colorado truck and that the driver intentionally crashed him at 2:50 a.m. on Sept. 21 on Jim Avenue in Sterling.
According to a trooper’s affidavit, Allen knew the driver as Kyle Barnes, 29, of Sterling. Allen said Barnes reached into his coat with his right hand and was yelling at him after the accident. Allen exited his vehicle with his rifle and fired one round into the air to deter Barnes. Allen fired a second round after Barnes continued to act “aggressively.”
Allen told troopers Barnes recently stole a shotgun from him and admitted to it in a text message to Allen. Barnes did not brandish a firearm in the incident, according to the report.
Witnesses heard yelling and gunshots and observed Allen standing near Barnes with his rifle pointed at him. Barnes stood up and ran from the scene, according to the affidavit.
Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters said Barnes fled the scene after being shot at and before troopers arrived. Troopers were unable to locate Barnes until 8 p.m. that evening, she said.
Barnes told troopers he was traveling on Jim Avenue with Laura McKenna, 24, of Sterling, when he saw Allen traveling on Marilee Street. Allen then backed up and followed Barnes and was traveling in Barnes’ lane and accelerated to collide with him. Allen shot a third round that struck Barnes’ jacket. At that point Barnes hit the ground and pleaded with Allen to stop, according to the report.
Troopers followed up the investigation on Sept. 24 and interviewed McKenna at Central Peninsula Hospital, the passenger who suffered a back injury after the collision. McKenna told troopers Allen sped toward them in their lane and collided with them. When she walked away from the scene after the accident, she heard two shots before she went to a nearby friend’s house and then heard a third shot, according to the report.
Allen was arrested for first-degree assault, a class A felony, second-degree assault, a class B felony, third-degree misconduct involving weapons, a class C felony and reckless endangerment.
Class A felonies are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Class B felonies are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 and class C felonies carry a maximum sentence five years in prison and fine of up to $50,000.
Trooper Timothy Tefft observed Allen’s truck in Barnes lane of travel angled like it was blocking the lane. Tefft found a live cartridge in the dirt near the rear of Allen’s truck, according to the report.
Allen is currently jailed at Wildwood Pretrial Facility. His next court date is Oct. 6 in Kenai District Court.
Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com.
